Paint applicators of the roller type have extensively replaced other applicators such as brushes in both commercial and domestic applications, primarily owing to the much greater amounts of paint which can be applied in a single stroke of the roller-type applicators. Conventional paint applicators of the roller type typically comprise a single roller rotatably engaged with a handle and are customarily employed in conjunction with a shallow paint pan, from which the paint is applied to the roller. Such devices, while functioning to apply paint over a larger area than can be achieved with standard brush strokes, customarily have certain disadvantages, such as a tendency to splash the operator of the device and a tendency to mark the painted surface with the pattern of the roller cover unless very expensive roller covers are employed. Further, unless the paint is carefully distributed over the roller, the single roller applicators have a tendency to skip, particularly if the surface being treated is not absolutely level.
In order to overcome these disadvantages, prior art devices have been developed. For example, single roller paint applicators have been provided with housings intended to serve as splatter guards, such as those exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,942,209 to Walls; 3,825,970 to Hanssen; 3,029,458 to Balicki; 2,887,707 to Heintzlman; 3,115,659 to Church; 3,378,872 to Frontera et al; 3,409,929 to Fisher, and 3,538,532 to Shortino et al. Such splatter guards have the inherent disadvantage of tending to tilt in use, particularly if the handle is centrally mounted as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,970, or of being very unwieldy if the handle is laterally engaged with the roller, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,209, or both. Inadvertent tilting of the housing or splatter guard frequently results in marking of the painted surface, requiring additional effort to repair the damage and also accumulating paint on the housing, which in turn is subject to dripping.
In order to overcome the disadvantages associated with single roller applicators, multi-roller applicators such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,130,435 to Smith; 3,409,929 to Fisher, or 2,257,316 to Smith have been proposed, which increase the amount of paint applicable with a single stroke. Housings for said rollers, however, tend to be extremely unwieldy, particularly when the handle is off-set, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,409.929. Other multi-roller applicators, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,316 have a tendency to splatter, are difficult to load with paint, and further, tend to leave marks on the painted surface, owing to the use of similar covers on the rollers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-element paint applicator which is convenient to use.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a multi-element paint applicator which substantially minimizes splatter and yet does not tend to mar the adjacent painted surfaces.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an efficient paint applicator which effectively applies a greater amount of paint to a larger area and which also provides a smooth painted surface.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description thereof and the appended claims.